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quinta-feira, julho 13, 2006

Aos que duvidavam, ai esta: Conquistei o desafio final! Escalei ate o topo do Monte Kinabalu, na Ilha de Borneo (4095m). Mas vou dizer que nao foi facil. Primeiro dia: 5 horas de caminhada (subindo infindaveis escadarias) ate Laban Rata (3300m de altitude, 6 km de trilha), onde passariamos o resto do dia para adaptar a altitude. As duas da manha, comecamos a escalada ate o cume (mais 2,7km). Os 3km finais sao de escalada quase total, puxando por cordas e tudo mais. Um pouco antes do km 7, a altitude levou vantagem sobre o Robert, que foi obrigado a descer, devido a mal-estares e cansaco. Percebi que nao seria facil. Obviamente eu nao estava preparado para isso. Parava para descansar a cada 100m. E quando cheguei ao ponto de desistir, pensei no quando a Asia ja me fez crescer. E ai veio uma forca de algum lugar e percebi que era minha Mente contra meu Corpo. Decidi que minha mente iria ganhar essa batalha. Os ultimos 700 metros da trilha foram de dor a cada passo. Meu joelho, coitado, ja sofria intensamente. Eu contava os passos: "Mais 50 passos, Mark... voce consegue" e fiz isso repetidamente incontaveis vezes. Mas finalmente, cheguei ao topo. E a sensacao era indescritivel. Uma vitoria custosa e dolorosa, mas, quem sabe, representativa de tudo que esse lugar me ensinou. Se conquistei O Kinabalu, nao ha nada que nao possa conquistar. E em 2006 posso dizer que pelo menos UM brasileiro chegou "ao topo" e deixou balancar a flamula verde-loura! (e olha que eu nem recebi salarios milionarios para isso, igual aqueles 20 e poucos bananas). E quando achei que o sofrimento tinha acabado, lembrei da descida de 9 horas (a visao do portao da montanha foi quase tao linda quanto a do cume).



To those who doubted it, there it is: I conquered the ultimate challenge! Climbed to the summit of Mount Kinabalu, on Borneo Island (13438 feet). The highest mountain in Southeast Asia. But I'll tell you that it was not easy. First day: 5 hour walk (up endless stairs) to Laban Rata (10824 feet, 6km hike), where we spent the rest of the day adapting to the altitude. At 2am, we started the climb to the summit (2,7 kms more). The last 3km of the journey are almost completely all climbing, using ropes and all that. A little before km 7, the altitude got the best out of Robert, who was forced to climb down, in consequence of nauseas and fatigue. I realised that it was not going to be easy. I obviously was not prepared for this. Took rest breaks every 100 yards. And when I finally got to the verge of quitting, I thought of how much Asia has made me grow already. Strength came from somewhere as I realised that it would be my Mind versus my Body. I decided that my Mind was going to win this one. The last 700 yards of the hike were of intense pain in each and every step. My poor knee was suffering intensely. I counted the steps and said to myself: "fifty more, Mark... you can do it!" and took fifty steps over and over again. But finally, I reached the summit! The sensation was undescribable. A costly and painful victory, but, perhaps representative of all that this place has tought me. If I conquered Kinabalu, there is nothing I cannot conquer. And in 2006 the World can say that at least ONE brasilian made it to "the top", to shake the green and yellow flag! (and I don't even get payed the millionaire salaries for this, unlike those 20-some losers). And when I thought my suffering was over, I remembered the 9 hour climb down the mountain (The sight of the mountain entrance was almost as beautiful as the sight of the summit).

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